Association is catalyst for 2,000  Guyanese living here

by Mellica Mcpherson

 The Guyanese Association of the BVI will be joining in solidarity with their brothers and sisters back in Guyana, by not celebrating Mashramani (celebration after hard work). Mashramani or MASH is celebrated in Guyana on the 23 February. The festivity is traditionally enriched by a parade, calypso show and other forms of jubilee.

However, this year, for the first time in the history of Guyana this festivity is being postponed because of the flood and the other disasters associated with it.

The Association feels that it is only fair that they should not celebrate during this time of crisis. Every year the Association celebrates February 23 by hosting a church service, a dinner and dance.

The Guyanese Association was officially founded in 1991, and at present it has 60 regular members and about twice as many non members. It was formed as a support group for members, who pool their resources together to help members with critical illnesses, especially Guyana natives who have no other relatives here and no other means of support.

The Association was also formed as a social club, which gave members a chance to get together and practice various Guyanese customs such as Mash, independence and the traditional old year’s night ball.

President of the Association Mr. Will Campbell said that the Association has set up an award achievement scheme for students with Guyanese parentage who have done well at the primary five and school leaving examinations.

Mr. Campbell disclosed that they also donate the “outstanding student in geography” award to a BVI High School student who excelled in that subject. He announced that “even though the Guyanese Association was set up by Guyanese for the Guyanese, it is not an effort to separate ourselves from the BVI community, but it is a means of helping us to preserve our culture while contributing meaningfully as a people  to the development of our adopted home — the BVI”. The Association has participated over the past years in the BVI festival. They meet on the first of every month at the BVI High School.

The Association will continue to raise funds. This time they hope that they will receive monetary donations to help to stem the spread of water bourn diseases that have claimed many lives in Guyana and to help to provide medical supplies for affected people.

The Department of Immigration estimated a year and a half ago that there might be approximately 2,000 Guyanese residing in the BVI.